Armored Stratos
by BG-4U
Summary: (AU. Reboot. ON HIATUS.) Despite the announcement of the IS, humanity has experienced a period of relative peace... but at a cost. Societal tensions regarding the maintaining of the IS Academy and the signing of the Alaska Treaty have remained neglected. But, one group seeks to bring an end to the chaos with 'Armored Cores'... by destroying the IS cores themselves. One by one.
1. Prologue

(Alternate Universe. Reboot.) Despite the announcement of the IS, humanity has experienced a period of relative peace... but at a cost. Societal tensions regarding the maintaining of the IS Academy and the signing of the Alaska Treaty have remained neglected. But, one group seeks to bring an end to the chaos with 'Armored Cores'... by destroying the IS cores themselves. One by one.

For those who read this before, it's mostly the same from last time, but more polished. An explanation for the re-upload will be at the bottom of this chapter.

I do not own Infinite Stratos, Armored Core, or any properties that appear in this story. The only thing I own is this story and the eternal questioning of my dedication to this anime series.

* * *

All humanity has ever known is struggle. Before now, it was with corporate powers waging war against each other, trying to assert their dominance. Their main tool was the Armored Core, a tall humanoid war machine that can wield awesome weapons. These were often piloted by Ravens, mercenaries for hire and usually were unloyal to any party. Usually. The privatized war reigned for decades until humanity leashed them. It was only then society experienced the facade of peace... Until a new curse was brought upon the world.

Infinite Stratos:.. An exoskeleton designed to overcome the challenges of space exploration by enhancing the senses and shielding the human body from space anomalies. When the creator, Tabane Shinonono, announced it nobody took it seriously. When 2341 ballistic and cruise missiles were launched towards all major cities in Japan, she sent the very first IS, the White Knight, to destroy them all. When the major world powers went after it, all their forces were either disabled or destroyed.

This became forever known as the White Knight incident, and because of it, the Alaska Treaty was signed. This treaty prevented the IS from being used in military combat, required nations to publish all advancements made in IS technology for the public, and forced Japan to create and maintain a training facility for all the world's IS pilots without external support. Because of the machine's user exclusivity, a power struggle was born, causing Japan to prioritize women. To help build and maintain the IS Academy, the government punished their citizens by raising taxes and cutting back on public programs. With families wanting daughters more than sons, the ratio for men and women is unbalanced.

Unknown to many, a threat lurks in the shadows, growing in power and waiting for the perfect moment to strike as cracks in the system begin to show.

* * *

The Curtain Rises

Goosebumps formed on my skin as the cold air wrapped around the transport plane. I sat in my cockpit, arms folded and eyes closed. It's been three hours since we took off for the Himitsu Mountains in Hokkaido. Each passing minute I spent on going over the operation plan, keeping warm, and stockpiling on sleep.

"5 minutes till drop off." informed the pilot through my helmet.

I began to initiate the start-up sequence, pressing a bright red square button causing the cockpit to come to life with multiple screens for my sensors lighting up with green grids on the angled screen in front of me displayed a 5-meter titanium humanoid machine.

The scanner ran a red bar across my face. 'PERMISSION GRANTED' was displayed on the center screen. The text dissolved and in its place were my AC's radar, energy meter, weapons, and armor points. My body felt the seat's internal cords inserting into me, synchronizing with my skeletal, nervous, and muscular systems.

"All enemy communications have been jammed. Make sure not to let them distract you from the generator for too long." Stated my operator's mildly deep voice.

"Understood," A timer appeared in the upper right quadrant of my HUD displaying the ten-minute window. The ramp lowered itself slowly, the audio sensors picking up the turbulence. With the pilot's 'Clear to jump', I activated my boosters to 30 km/h, plummeting towards the Earth. The sky was pitch-dark with an occasional cloud. I activated the built-in night vision and shifted my eyes toward the altimeter. The meter decreased to 25,000.

20,000.

15,000.

My radar began to detect hostiles. 3,000 ft, I noted. I activated my boosters for a safe descent. The B83TPs roared to life with full might. The radar contacts were identified: Ten MT-08M Ostriches and Cerberi. The Ostriches were spaced out by ten meters while the Cerberi patrolled the outer perimeter. _Easy pickings_. Ostriches have a slim frame and won't require much to take down. The Cerberi can be a bit of a nuisance, however, given their treads allow for more mobility and speed. "_Cascade Range_, commencing the operation." Flicking one of the buttons on the left joystick, I swapped to my missiles and locked my sights at the Cerberus furthest away from the others. With a thumb press, a missile was launched, screaming towards the treaded tripod. Within several hundred meters, the missile separated into three warheads and impacted on the target. The MTs stopped soon after and looked towards the burning drone. I disengaged my boosters after reaching 100 meters above the ground. My AC absorbed the hard landing, hydraulics screeching as it recoiled. In front, I saw the MTs splitting up. Three Ostriches remained in the center, maintaining the spacing, while the rest flanked.

Bolts of plasma from the Cerberi's energy rifles and armor-piercing rounds flew past me as I boosted away. I hooked left and fired my missiles at the Cerberi. The close range proximity caused half of the warheads to hit the ground, but nonetheless, they were eliminated. I swapped to the RP3 rocket launcher and fired at the sole Ostrich. The rocket impacted on the smooth and curvy torso, causing the slim MT to collapse on its side. I diverted my attention to the right flank. My armor points decreased by a few hundred from the plasma and AP rounds. I thrust my AC into the air and circled more to the left, avoiding the tracers that followed. My Python was next to shine. The conductors energized electrons and rapidly summoned ion beams. Each beam found its mark, leaving glowing entry and exit holes into the AI storage heads. I disengaged the boosters and landed behind the turning Ostriches. I activated my energy blade, letting out a long, bright, crackling, and scorching blue beam. With a simple thought, the beam swung at the torsos, slicing through metal, circuits, and wires.

I checked the timer. 7 minutes. I thrust towards the building at the far end of the base. A large blast door stood in front of me with a panel next to it. I opened up the panel's interface onto my screen and began scanning. A list of green text and numbers appeared. I swiftly type in commands, splitting the barrier open. I deactivated my night-vision as light seeped through and walked onto the ramp.

I looked at the timer again. 6 minutes and 35 seconds. The elevator leading down was at an angle. My radar indicated that I had two floors before I reached my objective. Wasting no time, I jumped down, using my boosters to slow my fall. Above the ramp entrance were turrets. Their rotary cannons unleashed a wall of brass, dropping my armor at a steady pace. I quickly responded with the Python and made my way around the corner before dropping down again, repeating the process.

I landed hard on the ramp, denting the metal floor. The junction was spacious and had three tunnels. There was enough room for MTs and transports to maneuver in without too much trouble. _Awfully quiet here._ I scanned my radar's map for the correct tunnel.

A few seconds later, my operator was on the comm channel again. "Raven, enemy reinforcements are moving in on your position!" Her warning came too late, several red dots appeared. The tunnel doors opened and out poured were four green heavily armored Rafale Revives outfitted for close quarter combat. They dispersed and surrounded me at various angles. Following behind them was a white bulky IS with a blue and red trimmed chest plate. The pilot had a shapely figure highlighted by her red undersuit and a black ponytail. Attached to her cheeks were armored vents, the frame's legs were slim, but not obtrusive while the shoulders were slanted. '_Target identified: X-78. Unit is a late-2nd Generation IS that utilizes a mid-range build equipped with particle field dampener extensions_.' Informed my AI.

"Whoever paid you for this job has made a grave mistake, Raven. Surrender now and you'll have a fair trial." She proclaimed.

_She's going to delay me_. "I appreciate your offer, but I must decline. All I want is the core stored here." I said an open channel. "Give it to me and I will spare your life. There's no need to share the same demise with your fellow soldiers."

She chuckled. "You're too late; the core is already being transported away. You failed."

"Then perhaps yours will do just fine." I quipped,

The pilot snarled. "Over my dead body. Open fire!"

I boosted to my right, avoiding SMG and energy rounds. Have to make this quick. I fired a snapshot at the X-78 with my railgun only to find that the damage was halved.

"Mercenary filth!" One of the pilots on the left screamed as they charged with their shotgun. She was able to fire two rounds into me before I sliced it. 5, 765 AP remaining. I boosted away from my targets and engaged the IS in my immediate vicinity. The blue blade came out once more and sliced through the power supply. The pilot could only get out a sneery curse before her machine exploded. I quickly engaged again at the pawns. Let's see how your armor holds up. The junction was filled with my rifle's screeches. I noticed blood through the entry holes in one of the pilots upper torso. "Only had the kinetic armor mods to spare," I said to myself.

I pressed one of the side buttons on the right joystick deployed an ECM pod. "He's jamming us!" Two of the Rafales tried to fire their SMGs, but their aim was hindered greatly. The rounds found themselves either ahead or After skating around them, my energy levels reached the amount I needed. I aimed towards the two pilots firing at me and pressed the right trigger. Their armor and shields began to fail and soon embraced the light.

The wounded pilot began to step forward. "I got this..., Akiyama! Go regroup… with the convoy!" She grunted before collapsing on her right knee.

"No, you're too wounded to fight. I'm the one he wants," Akiyama said as she helped her partner back on her feet. "I'll buy you some time. "

Her partner grimaced. "It's been an honor, warrant officer."

Akiyama watched her fly down the center tunnel before the door shut itself closed. She returned her attention back to me. "Just me and you, Raven." She said with disdain.

The warrant officer gave a bloodlust filled cry as she charged. I boosted to my right, sparing my left arm from the scorching blade, and responded with a hit to her armored chest plate. My screen adjusted her shield strength to 550. She fired another burst of her rifle which found their mark on my center mass.

'_AP at 50%_.'

Despite that my armor level revelation, I remained calm. I switched to my missiles and fired. They didn't meet their target, however, the pilot destroyed them in the pre-separation stage, creating a smokescreen. I decided to close in with my blade and sliced forward only to hit one of her beam sabers. I saw her smirk, looking directly at the sensor. "What's the matter? Running out of ideas?" She smugly said.

_Not yet_. I swapped to my rocket launcher and fired. I boosted back from the explosion and rotated around her, leaving a trace of smoke particles. I swapped to thermal vision and quickly swiped at the center of the pilot's heat signature.

A gasp echoed the junction as the smoke cleared. The pilot suddenly collapsed with fear in her eyes as I hacked the case open. My AC's metal fingers wrapped around my prize. I felt the rage inside me boiling for every second I held on to it. It was because of this society was in chaos. It was because of this my chance of a normal life was robbed from me.

I heard my operator speak again, "Raven, we looked at our satellite feed and confirmed the presence of a convoy retreating from the base."

"I thought they were jammed..." I said sharply unintentionally.

"The base managed to unjam their comms while you fought and sent out an SOS."

"What of the convoy?"

"HQ will look into it later. Right now, they want you back. Enemy comm traffic is buzzing."

My operator's words did not soothe me, but the mission comes first. I begrudgingly replied, "Wilco, command. _Cascade Range_ out."

"If you think you can take an IS core for yourself and get away with it, then you're mistaken! We'll hunt you down!" I turned my head towards her and applied pressure to the orb. "Wh-What are you doing?! Stop!" She begged. The glass began to cry at a high pitch as I squeezed harder. In a few moments, the orb gave in, glass shattering and particles flooding. "You bastard. Do you... have any idea... what you just did?" She grunted.

"I've gotten rid of one less nuisance that stood in my way to undo what has been done to this world... and you were the stepping stone." My energy blade crackled and thrust into her, causing her body to recoil in horror and gasping for air. "It was an honor… Akiyama." I sheathed my blade and returned to the metal craters, boosting my way back up to the surface.

Upon seeing the littered base, I double checked radar before flicking a switch. '_Objective achieved. Now switching to normal mode_.`

"_Mother Goose One_, this is _Cascade Range_. Requesting extraction."

"We have eyes on you, Raven. Standby for retrieval," said the transport pilot. The C06-Falcon's thrusters came into hearing. "Watch your head, we're conducting mid-air low altitude retrieval."

"Acknowledged." I ascended up and flew towards the aircraft's rear, avoiding the thruster trails. The ramp was lowered shortly after and I carefully entered into the craft's stomach.

"Raven is returning to Nest. I repeat, Raven is returning to Nest." The pilot emitted.

"Nest copies. Ingress east following bearing 197."

* * *

Remember that time I said the next chapter will be done soon? Yeah, me neither. In all seriousness, I greatly apologize for the long delay and removal of this story. So, you might be wondering, '_What happened?' _Well, it's a long story (longer than this story's original lifespan, amirite?). I sat down one day working on world-building for the next chapter one day and lost focus. Now, what do I mean by that? Every writer has an outline, or a rough idea, where to take their stories. I had a bunch... I had roads, but not cement (does that analogy work?). There were so many themes and ideas from Armored Core I wanted to incorporate into this narrative that it clashed what I originally wanted. I got frustrated trying to salvage my original idea that I stepped away from writing for a while.

Months later, I came back and redid my plot and world-building, but it wasn't an easy process. I went back and forth on my handling of the more sensitive topics (the biological sex power struggle, the ends vs the means on ending that struggle, etc.) that will happen in this story. I found myself almost abandoning those aspects. I was afraid of sounding too serious for a fanfic about a harem with stomping robots.

If you're new to this story, then hey, welcome to the show! Food and punch are on the left. Chapter 1 will be going up today as well which is another reason why I took my sweet ass time reuploading (Didn't want y'all just to read a chapter you already read). Now if you excuse me, I'm off to play Armored Core 2 (got lucky with a mint condition off Amazon. Eeeeeeeeeeeee!)

C&C is welcomed!


	2. Chapter 1

IS Academy was quieter than usual today thanks to most students on leave for the autumn term holiday. This is something that normally would please Chifuyu. A little peace and quiet to allow her to decompress and massage her mind. However, despite the shortage of kids on campus, there was always something to ruin her break. Chifuyu was in her office when she received an urgent message from her assistant and close friend, Maya Yamada. The message came from Japan's Minister of Defense, Minister Tohdoh.

"I take it that OAE has investigated the former Armored Core production plants at Crest and Mirage?" Chifuyu sipped her coffee.

"They have, but the investigation didn't find anything unusual. A three-day investigation. Wasted." He said in frustration.

"So, where does that lead us?"

"The prime minister has told the public a cover-up story and discussed with his cabinet about the Alaska Treaty."

Chifuyu tilted her head slightly. "What was there to discuss?"

Tohdoh lowered his voice. "What they discussed was the possibility of assigning some of the personal IS users from the academy to help the military combat this threat. The prime minister has one in mind: Ichika Orimura."

Chifuyu spoke again. "If I may ask, what makes the prime minister think my brother is suited for such tasks? Let alone give consent?"

"The prime minister has read the reports regarding the engagements with the Silver Gospel and Phantom Task over the summer and fall semesters. It is in his hope that the pride of nationalism will convince your brother."

"If they actually paid attention, then they would know that he's not ready," Yamada said with a hint of venom. "None of the students are."

"In their minds, he is ready and justifies it with the results. Using government property and being one of the only students with actual combat experience outside of the academy gives them 'leverage' over him."

"So, they're going to guilt trip him into accepting?"

"Yes. If he doesn't accept it, then he will risk the government revoking his personal IS unit." The minister sadly explained.

"But, then the world would lose the chance to understand what makes Ichika able to pilot in the first place!"

"To the cabinet, it's all hands on deck. If he does not accept the assignments, then they will find someone who can. I'm a big opponent of this plan as much as you two are. I made my thoughts very clear to the PM."

"It's a shame that he didn't heed your advice."

"Yes, it is." Tohdoh's voice grew heavy. "There will be some officials coming to the school within the hour to discuss more of the details. I thought you would appreciate the heads up."

"Much appreciated, sir." The holovid shrunk back into Chifuyu's desk. Chifuyu looked away from the desk and towards her office door, raising her voice. "You may enter now."

A few seconds later, the door swung open, revealing a short light blue-haired young woman in a white and red blouse. "Seems I missed out on an interesting conversation," She said as she closed the door.

"That's one way of putting it," Chifuyu said. "Have you heard of anything through your family's contacts, Tatenashi?"

The second-year shook her head. "Only thing we've heard is some cargo ships gone missing." Normally Tatenashi would not be comfortable with someone acknowledging her family's… questionable "business venues", to put it nicely, especially when it is in the mind of a government employee. But, Chifuyu is someone who she can trust.

"'Gone missing'? Any leads?"

"Just speculation. Some say it was the Dragon's Triangle, but most of us think it was solar interference," Tatenashi explained. "Though, I prefer the paranormal one. It's more mysterious and interesting that way."

"How long ago did you hear this?"

The student shrugged. "A few months ago, I guess. Though, we've been hearing more cases as of late."

_Perhaps there's a correlation_. Miss Orimura pondered. "How is Ichika doing in his training?"

"The last training session we've done was regarding his long-range assault augmentation, but we've been sparring with the other girls. He's improving, to say the least." She paused. "I take it the meeting wasn't a good one?"

"No, it wasn't," Chifuyu answered. "What I'm about to tell you cannot leave this room." Tatenashi slowly nodded before Chifuyu continued with an exhale. "The UN wants the students to do some work for their governments regarding the recent attack. As of now, I need you to teach him what you know on team formation and tactics. He is to spar every other day with you starting tomorrow as well as Houki." Tatenashi noticed the troubled expression on Yamada's face, for the first time in a while feeling a little uneasy by Chifuyu's usually serious and sharp tone. "If any of the other girls find out, then let me know and I will deal with them myself." Chifuyu checked the time on her computer's clock. _It's not even ten_, She dreaded mentally. "I have a meeting within the next hour. I'll let you know when and where to bring them by. You're dismissed."

"Understood…" She said hesitantly before leaving and closing the door with a soft 'click'. The second-year sighed and walked towards her next designation: Room 1025.

* * *

Ichika groaned as he felt the sun's rays gracefully touched his eyelids. He immediately turned away from the window in an effort to go back to sleep, but the sun's warmth did not allow him. Ichika rubbed his eyes and looked at the clock: Thursday, September 30th. 9:40 AM. He sat up and stretched his arms before getting up from the wrinkled bed sheets and entering his bathroom. He turned the shower valve to the left and lifted the diverter. After a few minutes, he discarded his clothes and stepped in. The scorching water caused the teenager to let out a small yelp and quickly turn the valve to the right a little. _Why are the temperature settings only 'molten lava' and 'arctic_? He internally complained. The young student followed suit with scrubbing his hair and scalp with shampoo and conditioner.

The water wasn't too warm, but warm enough to relieve his muscles. _I could stay in this all day_. He thought. Warm showers melt any stress away and he had a lot. Unmanned IS units with unregistered cores, terrorists that are trying to kill him and take his IS. They almost succeeded too. _This makes it the second time Houki saved me. Ichika proceeded to scrub his body with soap. Both times I caused her to be vulnerable. How long is she going to keep up her facade? Then again, how long can I keep up mine? I know she really cares about me. More than just a friend. All of them do. Cecilia, Charl, Laura, and Rin. I thought being dense would cause them to ease off. I didn't want to get abandoned again if I disappointed them. I don't want to feel that emotion again. I don't want them to feel that emotion._

He remained still. _I should avoid them for a while._ _Maybe ask for some advice. But, none of these girls know anything about guys! Or if they do, the info is all from yaoi stories! And guys will just tell me how lucky I am to fulfill such a fantasy!_ Ichika let out a frustrated growl. _I hate being a teenager at times._ He finished bathing and twisted the valve close. After a quick rub down, he wrapped a towel around his waist and walked out. "Well, at least I can have one last lazy weekend."

"You take really long showers."

Ichika looked at the source of the voice to his left. Standing by the second bed was Tatenashi Sarashiki, his bodyguard approved without his consent. _Oh yeah, she's another one too. As well as her sister._ "How did you get here?" He asked. "I locked the door before I went to bed last night."

"You do know you have a balcony and I can fly with my IS, right?"

Ichika leaned to his right a little. _She's got me there_. "So, it would seem."

Tatenashi put on a more concerned look. "Are you alright? You're acting a little… off. I heard you growling in the shower and you're not as flustered when you see a woman in your room."

_Crap._ "It was nothing. I was just…. Thinking about a few things." His answer earned him a raised eyebrow. "N-Nothing like that! Geez, I forgot who I was talking to," He walked to the left side of his bed and pulled the divider out from the wall.

"Oh, you know I love to tease you, Ichika!" She said as she watched his moving outline.

"Yeah, I know," He sighed as he pushed the divider back, revealing his toned upper half as he opened his closet.

Tatenashi falsely swooned, "Showing off such skin! Doing such an act would cause a lady to think lewd thoughts!"

Ichika's mood began to lighten up. "Yeah, well, it's only fair I suppose. You practically wore a naked apron while showing off your assets to me. So, what's a little muscle going to do?"

"When did you get so bold? Who are you and what have you done with my Ichika?!"

'_Your Ichika', eh?_ He chuckled. "Anyway, what brings you by? Do you have more club stuff that needs to be done?"

"Yes, but that's not why I'm here. There's something important I need to tell you."

Ichika finished adjusting his uniform, "Oh?"

"Yeah, Chifuyu wants us to begin some more… advanced training."

Her response earned a laugh. "That's to be expected. We got the winter tournament coming up." Ichika looked back at her and saw her anxious red eyes. "This isn't about the winter tournament, is it?"

Tatenashi shook her head. "The school is giving you some extra assignments throughout the school year."

"What kind of assignments?"

"I'm not sure..." She said uneasily.

How descriptive. "Well, I'm afraid I can't help them there. I have enough on my plate as is." He said

"You don't have much of a choice," Ichika answered her remorseful expression with a puzzled one.

"Wh-?"

"Did you eat, already?" She asked quickly.

_Like that wasn't suspicious_. He shook his head. "Did you?"

"Yeah, but I can always get another cup of coffee."

Ichika scoffed. "The last thing the school needs is you on two cups of coffee."

The light blue-haired woman chuckled "Perhaps that's true."

Ichika smirked. "Come on, let's go."

* * *

Hydraulic lifts and shouting echoed across the brightly lit hanger as I watched the mechanical surgeons dissect from an enclosed room, juggling my attention between them and my tablet.

_T equals D over S. Ten miles divided by 604 km/h equals one minute and thirty-six seconds. Twenty muscle tracers plus hacking, combine all three…. My fingers scurried across the screen. I factored in the numbers into the formula and frowned at the result. _"Three minutes." I swiped back to the 'stats' tab_ and_ pondered._ Swap the tuning settings from booster heat to acceleration?_

"So, this where you've been this whole time, Jirou. Checking up on your precious? Explains why you weren't in the mess hall."

I knew that voice. It belonged to a 34-year-old stocked man with short blonde hair and dark blue eyes named Evangel. He was somewhat cocky, but a friendly person nonetheless. Probably the closest to having a friend. Quite the looker too. We would spar a lot when Genobee ran me through the AC training program during my initiation. Oh, boy were those challenges mental. There was never a day that went by did I not get frustrated.

"I had a fast breakfast. The sooner I know it's finished being repaired, the sooner I can get back out there." I defended while still looking at the tablet._ Maybe_.

He looked out the window and whistled. "Took a bit of a beating. How did it perform?"

"Those are just bruises," I reassured. "_Cascade_ did fine. Nothing a Python and LB4 couldn't handle." I said.

"Seeing those wounds reminds me of the gilded age. Back when Ravens and contracts were plentiful." He said fondly.

"I'm sure HQ will have use of you again," I reassured. "What's the reaction from the Japanese government?"

"The prime minister had his press conference an hour ago."

"Oh, yeah? How did that go?"

Evangel scoffed. "He said the base was merely a supply base and suffered an ammo explosion."

I chuckled. "You think that for politicians they would come up with a good lie. Does he expect the public to buy that?"

"Of course not. Anyone with a brain can tell those MTs you laid waste to were not caused by a bomb accidentally going off." A sigh escaped his mouth. "But, what else can he really say?"

I set my tablet down onto the nearby table, "So, what do you think the PM is going to do next?"

"For now, nothing. He's going to remain quiet about the raid until he examines his options which isn't many. Don't think he wants to admit that an Armored Core just destroyed an IS core." He corrected himself. "Well, soon to be two."

I growled at his last sentence. "I should have been faster, more efficient."

"It was out of your control," He coddled. "Besides, the reinforcements would have chased and mowed you down. Right now we just have to play the waiting game."

"I've been playing the waiting game for nearly a decade, Evangel. A slip up like this allows our enemy to regroup and counter. Not to mention takes longer to end the suffering. We need to be swift and precise. I need to be swift and precise."

"Then perhaps you would appreciate the opportunity to rectify your error."

We both turned to the emotionless voice walking in. It belonged to Carolina Dolly, my operator. She had a petite figure with shoulder-length green hair, pale skin, and square glasses over her teal eyes. Her attire consists of a dark blue with a white trim overcoat, some sort of formal black leotard, a white tab, dark green stockings, and black heels. She had a slim face with a pointy chin. Her personality, or lack thereof, is primarily stoic and focuses on the mission. Probably some of the few things we have in common. She looked like she was 16, one year younger than me. I wonder how someone young like her got recruited into Alliance. I thought I was the only one who got lucky.

Evangel was the first to greet her with a bow of his head. "A good morning to you, Miss Dolly. To what do we owe for this great pleasure?"

_Ever so the gentleman._

His greeting didn't crack the ice queen. "There's been an update on the convoy and command has conducted a battle plan."

"Finally, the chains are set free," Evangel said.

"Only Jirou is deploying. Command has something else in mind for you."

I gave a hearty chuckle at my friend's sudden disappointment, "Maybe next time." I patted the bear's right shoulder and followed Dolly out.

* * *

The cafeteria was quiet, save for the occasional dish clatter and passing students. Tatenashi sat close to Ichika at one of the many vacant tables, sipping her coffee and watching him eat his steamed rice and egg. "So… what are your plans for the remainder of the break?" She asked in an ice-breaking attempt.

Her anxiety did not go unnoticed, but Ichika refrained from asking… for now. "Well, I was going to go back to my place and make sure everything is alright."

"Are you going to stay there for the rest of break?"

"Eyup," Ichika said before shoving more rice and egg into his mouth.

"Why?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

He let out a chuckle. "I already said why. I have to take care of the house. Chifuyu would flip if I-"

"It does not take a whole weekend to clean a house," Tatenashi said in an unconvinced tone.

"Have you seen my hou-?" His hysterical counter was silenced by the glare in her senior's dark red eyes. He let out an audible sigh, his hand growing heavy. "No, it doesn't take three days."

"Then why are you so anxious?"

"I can ask you the same thing. You've been quiet ever since we got here and you being dodgy while in my..." Ichika double checked the cafeteria for anyone passing by or in close distance, causing the 2nd year to raise an eyebrow. "...in my room. Not to mention you drinking your coffee like it's water."

Tatenashi looked at the inside of her still warm cup and frowned. They've only been here for 5 minutes and the cup was half empty. "You do have a point." She bit her lip and pondered._ Can I really keep him in the dark about this? It feels so… wrong. _After a few seconds, she caved, "You cannot tell anyone what I tell you, got it? Hide your knowledge of this even from Chifuyu when you go see her." Ichika gave a nod. "When was the last time you watched the news?"

"Uh… earlier this week I think. Why?" The Russian representative to type rapidly on her phone's internet browser. After tapping on a video link, she handed him her device.

"This was this morning." Ichika held the phone with both hands and watched. It was a news reporter from Tokyo covering the latest press release from the Prime Minister of Japan.

"In other news, the prime minister has said earlier today that 'After a thorough investigation, the defense force has determined that the explosions at the supply depot in the Himitsu Mountains were from an ammo explosion caused by faulty wiring in one of the base's storage rooms. When reporters mentioned the photos of destroyed Muscle Tracers taken by the local residents, the prime minister said they were products of 'fabrication' and shouldn't be taken too seriously. Despite the military's report, many remain unconvinced."

Ichika's mind raced back to his room. '_There's something important I need to tell you. _

_'Chifuyu wants us to begin some more... advanced training.' _

_'You don't have a choice_.'

It was then it dawned on him: It was all a coverup. Ichika's grip loosened when Tatenashi grabbed her phone. She slipped it back into her pocket and continued.

"Earlier today, Chifuyu had a meeting with the Minister of Defense regarding the incident and discu- "

"The government wants me to go after whoever attacked the base," he said.

"Yeah," She said slowly. A vibration occurred in her right pocket. She pulled out her phone and read the preview text. "It's time." She turned away towards Ichika. "We're going to hangar bay one. Chifuyu is waiting for us." The two teens removed themselves from the table feeling uneasy and headed towards the double doors to their right, leaving their respective food and beverage unfinished.

* * *

Thus marks the end of chapter one. Kept you waiting, huh? So, I'm probably going to catch some flak on explaining Ichika's density and I know it doesn't make sense as a theory/headcanon when you remind yourself of the show, but in my defense... the light novel author didn't give me a whole lot of room (that's how it works, right?). Anyway, there are some easter eggs/nods for us 3rd-gen players as well as *_checks their surroundings and whispers*... fifth gen_. I hope the chapter was worth the wait! Any questions in the reviews will be answered in the next chapter or in a PM if I take too long to upload. Back to Armored Core 2.


	3. Armored Stratos Update

It's been a hot minute since I last posted here. Nearly a year if I recall correctly. I know all of you have been wondering when the next update is and to that I say... I don't know. I've been working for a while now and all of my energy is being drained from it. Scheduling has been horrible with my day-offs being split, but things have luckily been improving in that department... until the Coronavirus came into play. The grocery store I work at is sending their older workers home until the whole thing blows over (laying them off effectively). So, now my department, food service, might have to help out where ever we can when we are already severely understaffed. Yeah, you can see the picture I am painting here.

Anyway, I've also been sitting on this story for a while because of other reasons:

1)I've been wanting to improve 'Chapter 1'. I think it's no secret that the chapter was kinda rushed (if it was a secret to you, then now you know), mainly towards the end. The dialogue and pacing took a big hit and I hate leaving something half-finished. So, I hope to expand on the Alliance's side of things.

2) The current story path for IS. I think I've mentioned this in the past, but there have been some rumblings with the last Volume and how it explains things. It left me scratching my head and more or less killed my motivation for writing this story. I try my best to follow the events in order of the anime with some light novel lore tossed here and there in my notes, but this kinda made things hard for me with creating a world where everything coexists.

3) I was feeling burnt out and worked on other projects of mine.

4) I may do a rewrite... again. I've been looking over my old notes for the world-building, characters, and overall narrative and I found myself not pleased with the results. Juggling all of the canon characters, OCs, as well as rewriting the main IS crew into believable characters is a tall order. It leaves me bashing my head as I try to explain Ichika's behavior to something that doesn't spit on his character in the anime, which is probably a naive thing to seek since everyone hates how he acts and tries to explain in one way or another (Also, holy shit the main harem is a headache and a half goddamn). The main "OC" is another obstacle too. By that, I mean I am not exactly pleased with my handling of him in my notes. I tried to make him different from another character and tell myself he is, but I feel like I am lying to myself when doing so. I might just embrace who he really is and write him not as an OC anymore. If you're wondering why I am being vague, it's because it would be a spoiler (Hint: We've played as them before).

So yeah, that's the scoop. I know it's not the news you've been waiting for and I apologize for it. I will sit on it some more and make a conclusion by the end of the week at the latest with the earliest being in a couple of days (I'm looking through my old drafts as I type). Please stay safe out there and clean yourself properly.


End file.
